Kazoo Design

Bodies

I am still working on this. If you have any
corrections, additions or questions, please contact me. Kazoologist@Kazoologist.org

The body of a kazoo is very important.

There are a lot of possible body variations. They don't just make
it look different. They affect the sound as well. Different
body designs effect the volume, tone, ease or difficulty of
playing, etc.

The
size and location of the membrane is extremely important, because the
more vibration of the membrane, the louder it is, and the more it
affects the tone.

The shape of the body is important in that this affects how and how
much of the sound of the player's voice contacts the membrane.

GENERAL
things that affect volume of sound of kazoos.

The larger the body the more air will need to be put into it than a
smaller one, to get the same volume of sound.
The larger and/or closer the air exit opening is to the mouth, the more
air will
need to be put into it, to get the same volume of sound.

A short tube, with a large membrane perpendicular to the axis of
the body and mouth piece and a very small hole in the side will tend to
have the most air contacting membrane.
In the case of the Songophone, the area of the membrane is increased by
having the tube it is glued to cut at an oblique angle.

In the end blown, side hole kazoo, decreasing the size of the exit
hole, increases the amount of air hitting the membrane. George
Smith found a taper starting after the membrane to be the most
effective. Not only does it prevent a lot of air from escaping,
but the angles of the walls cause the sound to be deflected at angles,
adding to the harmonics.

Information in Chart Form
These are possible configurations.
Some of these may not have ever been used, yet.
These are all
instruments with a single membrane. Instruments with multiple
membranes will be covered later.

BODY SHAPE

Membrane
Location

Mouth Location

Effect

Things That Can Affect The Sound

straight
cylindrical body,
with openings in
both ends and a side opening. Such
as one made of a cardboard paper towel or toilet paper roll.

the membrane is over the side hole

player hums in one
end,

a lot of the sound will go straight out the other
end without
contacting the membrane.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more sound is likely to hit
it.therefore
more vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is affected. Also
if
the membrane is closer to the mouth end.

the player hums
directly against the membrane

all of the sound will strike the membrane.

The larger the
membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more area there is, therefore more
vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is affected.

If the membrane is over an end hole

the player hums in the
other end,

how much sound reaches the membrane will depend
on the size
of the side hole and how close it is to the mouth end or the membrane
end.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more sound is likely to hit
it.therefore more vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is
affected. Also if
the membrane is closer to the mouth end.

the player hums in the
side hole,

more sound will reach the membrane if it is close
to the
mouth hole. If the mouth is closer to the open end most of
the sound will go out there without contacting the membrane.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more sound is likely to hit
it.therefore more vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is
affected. Also if
the membrane is closer to the mouth end.

the player hums
directly against membrane

all of the sound will strike the membrane.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more area there is, therefore more
vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is affected.

straight conical body,
with openings in
both ends and a side opening.

the membrane is over the side hole

player hums in the small
end,

a lot of the sound will go straight out the
other end without
contacting the membrane.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more sound is likely to hit
it.therefore more vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is
affected. Also if
the membrane is closer to the mouth end.

player hums in the large
end,

not much sound will go straight out the other end
without
contacting the membrane. A lot of the sound will go be
deflected back into the body and have another chance of
contacting the membrane.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more sound is likely to hit
it.therefore
more vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is affected. Also
if
the membrane is closer to the mouth end.

the player hums
directly against membrane

all of the sound will strike the membrane and go
out either end.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more area there is, therefore more
vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is affected.

If the membrane is over the larger end holeBecause the membrane is
over thelarger end, the sound will not be
effected as much as when the membrane is over the smaller hole.

Player hums into uncovered end hole

how much sound reaches the membrane will depend
on the size
of the side hole and how close it is to the mouth end or the membrane
end.

The larger the side hole and the closer to the
mouth piece the more sound will be lost before it contacts the membrane.

Player hums into side hole

more sound will reach the membrane if it is close
to the
mouth hole. If the mouth is closer to the open end most of
the sound will go out there without contacting the membrane.

the player hums
directly against membrane

all of the sound will strike the membrane.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more area there is, therefore more
vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is affected.

If the membrane is over the smaller end holeBecause the membrane is
over the smaller end, the sound will not be
effected as much as when the membrane is over the larger hole.

Player hums into uncovered end hole

Much of the sound will strike the sides and be
deflected back having more chance of escaping through the exit hole.

The larger the side hole and the closer to the
mouth piece the more sound will be lost before it contacts the membrane.

Player hums into side hole

Much of the sound will strike the sides and be
deflected back having more chance of escaping through the exit hole.

The larger the side hole and the closer to the
mouth piece the more sound will be lost before it contacts the membrane.

the player hums
directly against membrane

all of the sound will strike the membrane. Some
will go out the side hole. The rest go out the flaring end
which will have a megaphone effect of increasing the sound.

In this case the side hole could be eliminated;
not only is it not necessary, but it decreases the amount of
sound that takes advantage of the flaring end effect.

Double conical body, with large ends joined, small openings on
both ends and a side opening in one of the cones.

the membrane is over the side hole

Player hums into end closest to the membrane

not much sound will go straight out the other end
without
contacting the membrane. A lot of the sound will go be
deflected back into the body and have another chance of
contacting the membrane.

If the diameter of the mouth piece is increased
and the length decreased by cutting off the tip of that cone, you will
have an instrument similar to Smith's submarine kazoo (patent # 700986).

Player hums into end farthest from the membrane

not much sound will go straight out the other end
without
contacting the membrane. A lot of the sound will go be
deflected back into the body and have another chance of
contacting the membrane.

the player hums
directly against membrane

all of the sound will strike the membrane.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more area there is, therefore more
vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is affected.

If the membrane is over an end hole closest to
side hole

Player hums into side hole

Player hums into end farthest from the membrane

the player hums
directly against membrane

all of the sound will strike the membrane.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more area there is, therefore more
vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is affected.

If the membrane is over an end hole farthest from
side hole

Player hums into side hole

Player hums into end farthest from the membrane

the player hums
directly against membrane

all of the sound will strike the membrane.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more area there is, therefore more
vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is affected.

Double conical body, with
small ends joined, large openings on
both ends and a side opening in
one of the cones.

the membrane is over the side hole

Player hums into end closest to the membrane

Player hums into end farthest from the membrane

the player hums
directly against membrane

all of the sound will strike the membrane.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more area there is, therefore more
vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is affected.

If the membrane is over an end hole closest to
side hole

Player hums into side hole

Player hums into end farthest from the membrane

the player hums
directly against membrane

all of the sound will strike the membrane.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more area there is, therefore more
vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is affected.

If the membrane is over an end hole farthest from
side hole

Player hums into side hole

Player hums into end farthest from the membrane

the player hums
directly against membrane

all of the sound will strike the membrane.

The larger the membrane hole (and
therefore the membrane) is, the more area there is, therefore more
vibration, louder sound & the more the tone is affected.